Taliban Says India Wants Broader Cooperation, Trade With Afghanistan

India's point-person on Afghanistan J P Singh on Thursday held talks with Taliban's acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and discussed issues relating to security, trade and ways to counter narcotics, an Afghan statement said.

Singh said India is interested in expanding economic cooperations with Afghanistan and enhancing trade through Chabahar port, it added. Although the statement did not mention the venue of the meeting, it is believed that the talks were held in Kabul.

Extending gratitude to India for its humanitarian assistance, Muttaqi said that Kabul wants to strengthen political and economic relations with India, the readout said.

"Today, the MEA Joint Secretary of the Republic of India for Af-Ir-Pak, JP Singh, called on IEA-Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi. The meeting focused on in-depth discussions on bilateral Afghanistan-India relations, economic and transit matters, fighting ISKP & corruption in the country," Taliban-controlled Afghanistan's ministry of foreign affairs' spokesperson, Abdul Qahar Balkhi wrote on X.

"Singh said that India is interested in expanding political & economic cooperation with Afghanistan, & enhancing trade via Chabahar Port," he stated.

Balkhi stated that Muttaqi encouraged the senior Indian diplomat to streamline the visa issuance procedure for Afghan citizens.

"Extending gratitude to India for its humanitarian assistance, FM Muttaqi said that in line with our balanced foreign policy, IEA seeks to strengthen political & economic relations with India as an important actor in the region. In the end, FM Muttaqi urged India's Joint Secretary to facilitate the visa issuance process for Afghan businessmen, patients and students," he added.

Singh, a senior diplomat within the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), oversees the Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran division.

India has yet to formally recognize the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and advocates for the establishment of an inclusive government in Kabul. Also, India emphasizes the importance of preventing Afghan soil from being used for terrorist activities against any nation.

India actively promotes the provision of unimpeded humanitarian aid to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

In June 2022, India reinstated its diplomatic presence in Kabul by deploying a "technical team" to its embassy in the Afghan capital. This decision followed the withdrawal of Indian officials from the embassy in August 2021 due to security concerns following the Taliban's takeover.